Funny Phantom Story
by PhantomEquine
Summary: Come read a funny story my friend and I made of Phantom. It will make you laugh out loud! Come read now!
1. The Beginning

"SING MY ANGEL OF MUSIC" Erik screamed, echoing in the vast underground waterway, "SING FOR ME!" He flailed his arms in the climax of Christine's song, puncturing the (ahem...inflatable) boat with the paddle. "Uhh...Christine." he said sheepishly, "we're gonna have to abandon ship."

"Why?" Christine argued.

"Because..." he replied.

"Why do we have to abandon ship?" she said in a shrill voice.

"MY GOD, WOMAN! JUST GET OFF THE BOAT!"

Christine did as she was told, carefully stepping out of the boat, which she noticed was losing air fast. "Inflatable?" she thought to herself. "Maybe that would explain the little rubber duckies painted all over it."

Meanwhile, Erik had fallen off the floatie, and was splashing, gurgling, and bubbling nearby Christine.

"HELP! I'M DROWNING! I CAN'T SWIM!" he said, desperate for air, swinging his arms wildly, attempting to stay above the murky water.

"Erik," said Christine bluntly, "The water's only two feet deep."

And indeed, Erik looked up, seeing Christine standing firmly upon the ground, towering a good 4 feet over his drowning figure.

"I knew that," he said unconvincingly, "I was just...acting."

By this time, the Phantom was standing on the ground, in the two foot deep water. "I am a VERY good actor, you know!"

He stormed off, turning a corner, leaving Christine standing in the shallow waters. She sighed, rolling her eyes when she heard a tremendous crash around the corner, what sounded like the clanging of metal against rocks.

"STILL ACTING!" he shouted back.

"Of course you are" she said to herself, sarcastically.

-

It had been a good twenty minutes since the boating incident, and Christine hadn't seen Erik since. She went looking for him, turning the corner that he had turned earlier.

"Erik?" she asked, when she heard a small noise, "is that you?"

As she completely turned the corner, the whole sight came into view: There he was, his hand deep within the cookie jar, chocolate smudged all over his mask, and his eyes wide, and his body frozen. Like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Erik...What are you doing?" Christine asked, both curious and disturbed.

"Errrr...IT WASN'T ME!" he said, even though the chocolate on his mask was obvious evidence. He had realize that Christine wasn't convinced with his excuse, so he added to it.

"THE MONKEY MADE ME DO IT!"

While Erik was "cleaning up" after the cookie fiasco, Christine was left alone to think.

"_He's lost it, that's the only excuse. This isn't the man I fell in love with. He would never do things like this."_

She desperately thought for some way to revive him from his child-like behavior

_"His music!"_ she thought, _"That would certainly do the trick!" _

And so, as (a cleaner...chocolate-free) Erik entered the room once more, she asked him to sing for her."

"Erik," she said "will you...OH MY GOODNESS! A RAT!"

Christine was, of course, frightened by the small hairy thing following the Phantom.

"Rat?" Erik said confused, "This is no mere rat! This is the one, the only...Twinkie Puff the poodle!"

"Twinkie Puff?" Christine questioned, knowing that his mind was obviously lost, "You named him Twinkie Puff?"

"Well yes." He said, "I would have named him Mr. Tinkles, but that name is already taken by the alligator that lives in the water down here."

"Alligator?" she said, slightly frightened.

"Yes, alligator. I feed him broccoli." he then lowered his voice, so only Christine could hear, "You see, he is a vegetarian."

"Oh, of course." stated Christine, in mock understanding.

Once again remembering what she was to ask Erik, she interrupted his rambling of how Mr. Tinkles was teased as a child due to his odd eating habits.

"Erik. Will you sing for me?" She said this very sweetly, as if to help him remember the love he had for her.

"Sing?" he said, "Singing, my dear, is my specialty." He smirked, taking Christine by the hand into a part of the lair she had never laid her eyes on before.

It was a small dusty room, housing some sort of stage at the front. A large shiny, mirrored ball hung from the ceiling.

Seeing the confused look upon Christine's face, Erik explained, "My concert hall." he said plainly.

"Ahh." Christine replied, still slightly confused.

He sat Christine in a large chair opposite the stage, while he stepped up on it, adjusting his cape.

"What shall you be wanting to hear my darling?" he asked politely.

"Oh, anything your willing to sing for me." 

"Exactly," he said, a smirk once again on his face, "I shall sing you one of my new favorites, no one has heard or seen me do this one before."

Thinking both that she was in for a treat, and that Erik had indeed regained his mental health. Christine happily awaited the Phantom's masterpiece.

The music started, Erik's back faced Christine, the music changed, he turned around.

_"I think I did it again, I made you believe we're more than just friends"_ he sang this with great enthusiasm.

This was not what Christine had expected, this was nothing like Erik. But little did she know, the worst was coming.

The music raised, the lyrics changed: "Oops I did it again, I played with your heart, got lost in a game."

With these words Erik threw aside his cape, revealing a red spandex, sequined jumpsuit. Out of no where a spotlight shone upon his glittering figure, and a disco ball lowered from somewhere within the ceiling.

"Oops you think I'm in love, that I'm sent from abo-o-o-ove. I'm not. That. Innocent."

With this, the Phantom slid into kneeling positions, his hands held high into the hair, as if expecting a roaring applause.

Christine wasn't impressed.

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH ERIK?" She yelled, echoing in the vast cave.

"Uhhh," he replied quietly, "can I get a lifeline?"

"That's it," she was at her wit's end, "we are going to talk to Madam Giry!"

And with that, she left, dragging the sparkly Phantom by the hand, above to the Opera house...


	2. Seeking Help

"Madam Giry!" Christine yelled after her, she was relieved to find her in the Girl's Opera Dormitories, after many long minutes of searching.

"Yes, Christine?" She replied promptly.

"Erik is...errr...well...having some 'problems'."

"Oooooh," the Phantom sniggered, "This is where the _girls_ sleep!" He giggled once again.

"I see." said Madam Giry, raising her eyebrows. "Come this way."

She led them to a room just off of the main entrance; it was lavishly decorated, a window covering one entire wall, and a large table with many chairs in the middle.

"Sit." Madam Giry stated plainly, "Give me one moment, I shall go retrieve the others."

Christine obeyed, and drug Erik into a chair next to her.

"What are we doing here?" He asked, curiously.

"We're...uhh...going to talk with some people." she said.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because you're acting strangely."

"Why?"

"I don't know, I was just about to ask you the same thing!"

"Why?"

"ARGH!" Christine was loosing her cool, "SHUT UP, ERIK!"

"Why?"

Christine was about to literally explode, when Madam Giry, Meg, and Raoul all entered the room.

"Thank God!" Christine nearly yelled, thankful not to be left alone with this annoying, childish version of Erik.

"Oh, Christine! My little Lottie! You're alright!" Raoul gushed over her; he had obviously thought that the Phantom had kidnapped her with thought of harming her.

"Of course I am, Raoul." she said sweetly, "I only believe he wanted to annoy me to death."

"Oh," Raoul replied, very confused.

Madam Giry impatiently tapped a conducting baton upon the table to gather everyone's attention. "We are here," she said importantly, "to attempt at bringing Erik back to his normal state."

"OOH! That's me!" Erik said eagerly.

"Yes," replied Meg, "That is you. Go on, Mother."

"Well," Mdm Giry said, "I think we might be able to talk with him to find out why he is acting this way. You," (She pointed to Raoul) "will be especially helpful in this matter, seeing how you stole his one true love from him, you may be the reason he is acting like this. Denial."

Raoul looked guiltily at his feet.

Meg obviously had an idea, she was squirming in her seat, "Mother, mother!" she said excitedly, but before she could express her thoughts, Erik interrupted.

"Pretty colors!" he exclaimed, looking at the ceiling.

Before anyone could say anything else, he spotted a balloon vender across the street, through the window.

"BALLOONS!" He yelled, making a mad dash for the window, but running, very hard, and face first right into the glass. He hit the ground. Everyone rose from their seats to see whether or not Erik was Okay.

"What happened?" he asked wearily, getting up from the floor. But before anyone could explain, he had once again spotted the vividly colored balloons.

"BALLOONS!" he yelled for the second time, and, also for the second time, he ran straight into the glass, hitting the ground.

And, just like the other time, he had asked what just happened, as he got up from the floor. And when he was once in standing position, he went through the same cycle.

"BALLOONS!" he shouted for the third time.

"Oh no, you don't!" said Meg, grabbing his shoulders to stop him. "We're not doing that again."

After a long discussion (and many interruptions from Erik) They had come to the conclusion that surrounding him with things most familiar with him would probably do the trick at bringing him back to his normal state of mind. And that would, of course, begin with the show that very night. And Erik would be seated in his usual Box Five. Only, with the accompaniment (otherwise knows as _supervision_) of Madam Giry, since she did not perform in the Operas. And after the show, he would stay with Madam Giry and Meg at their house, seeing as leaving him alone in his lair wouldn't be especially smart. Especially with all those pointy things he could hurt himself with, and the little things he could get stuck up his nose.


	3. Christine gone missing

After making sure the ballerinas where ready and that the star of the show, Christine, had found her costume, Madam Giry took Erik up to his normal box. The show started, and it went on without any problems. Unless, of course, you count Erik's shouting of random words during silent parts a problem.

"Christine, you where wonderful!" exclaimed a very proud Raoul, "Come on, I'm taking you to dinner. I'll bring the carriage around while you change out of your costume."

Christine was very excited to be going out with Raoul, "Finally!" she thought as she quickly changed, "an Erik-free night!" She had never thought that she would actually be _glad_ to be away from the Phantom.

Christine made her way down the grand marble staircase, and out of the exit of the Opera Populaire, She didn't see Raoul, "He must be getting the carriage still." she thought, not worried at all, "I did change unusually quickly."

Walking down to the corner of the street to try and catch a glimpse of Raoul, a dark, hooded figure made his way towards her.

"Such a beautiful girl all alone in the middle of the night?" he asked, innocently enough, "What are you doing here m'dear?"

"Oh," said Christine, flattered at the kindness of the man, "I'm waiting for my carriage, you see."

"Yes...of course."

Christine smiled at the man, but he still didn't leave.

"But I am afraid, m'dear, that you won't be making it to that carriage."

And before she could utter a word, he whipped out a cloth hidden in his cloak, quickly wrapping it around Christine's mouth. He then took out a rope, binding her hands.

"The star of the Opera, Miss Christine Daae, left all alone, unguarded, in the dark at night? Such a mistake... Such a mistake indeed." He laughed in an unmistakably maniacal way.

Christine tried to struggle her way free, but it did no good, the man was much to strong, and instead of dragging her just picked her up over his shoulder.

"Come, my dear." he said laughing, "Our carriage awaits."

Raoul was confused. Christine was nowhere to be seen. Although, he did take longer than expected. He had a little "disagreement" with one of the two carriage horses.

"Christine must have gone with Madam Giry, Meg, and Erik, thinking that I was not coming for her." He knew that this must be the explanation to the disappearance of Christine.

"I must let her know that I had no intention of leaving her behind. I wouldn't want her angry with me."

And so he set off towards the Giry household, no more than 5 minutes from the Opera house.

He parked his carriage in front of their home, tying the horses to a nearby tree. Seeing a light coming from the window, he knew they must be home. He politely knocked upon the door of their quaint, two story home.

"Who is calling?" replied the sweet, young voice of Meg.

"It's me, Raoul."

"One moment" called Meg.

You could hear the click of a lock before Meg had opened the door.

"Come in; come in, what brings you here tonight? Are you coming for dinner?"

"No." replied Raoul plainly, "I was wondering if Christine was here. You see, she wasn't there when I brought the carriage around to pick her up. It took a while, so I figured that she just went home with you."

"No, she's not here, I'm sorry. Maybe she decided to sleep in the dormitories tonight." Meg was obviously not worried.

"Are you staying for dinner" Meg asked.

But before he could reply he heard Madam Giry yelling from the next room: "ERIK! NO!" this was immediately followed by a large thump, and then, the sound of glass breaking.

"ERIK, FOR THE LAST TIME, JUST BECAUSE YOUR WEARING A CAPE, DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN FLY OFF OF THE TOP OF MY CHINA HUTCH!" she was obviously angry.

Raoul didn't even want to get involved. He bid Meg a goodnight, wishing her luck with containing the childish antics of Erik, and left.

"She's just in the dormitories." he tried to convince himself. "She heard me when I told her I was going to get her." He was very, very worried, and was going very fast towards the Opera House.

He arrived only to find the doors securely locked, he banged upon them until a cranky janitor came and unlocked them for him.

"My goodness son! Quite impatient! Back in my day we wouldn't bang upon such doors..."

But Raoul left the man to remember 'the good old days' while he desperately made his way towards the dormitories.

"Christine!" he yelled, flinging the doors open. The girls, who had been reading, braiding each others hair, and practicing their ballet positions screamed at the sight of Raoul.

"_You're_ not supposed to be in here. You're a man!" said one bold looking, red-headed ballerina.

"Oh, really?" he said sarcastically, "I didn't know that."

This obviously didn't please the girls. So he made it quick. "I'm just looking for Christine."

"She's not here." replied one girl named Mary, "just leave now. We don't want our dormitories infected with your manliness."

Raoul didn't know if this was an insult, or if they where complementing his manliness.

He was on his way out, and obviously wasn't moving fast enough for the girls, because he was pelted with a hairbrush on the way out.

He decided to check her dressing room first. Lighting a candle so he could see, he examined the room.

Everything was in place. There was no sign of struggle like there would be if someone came in and took her. He took his time, looking everywhere. He found a note pinned to the back of the door.

_Dear Opera Populaire,_

I have taken your precious Christine. She will not return until my demands of 20,000 francs have been met. And I expect that your opera will do quite poorly in the absence of your lead voice. Meaning it would be in your best interest to pay the ransom soon.

Leave it with the two guards at 9875 Chariot Street, just outside of London. That is where she is being held. Don't try to rescue her; I assure you that there are many security measures preventing you from doing so.

Regards,  
William Patrick III  


"Oh my god." Raoul gasped, "She's gone!"


	4. Looking for Christine

Back at the Giry household, Madame Giry was sweeping up the mess Erik had just made. "Erik, don't try this again!"

"But i know i can do it. I know i can!" Erik said, slightly upset. 

"No Erik, you CANNOT FLY!" Madame Giry was getting really frustrated with Erik.

"FINE!...meany head." Erik said whispering under his breath.

That night, Madame Giry set up a room, which only had a bed and bathroom in it, so Erik could not heart himself. And she made sure of that. She even locked the door when she said, "Ok Erik. Now just go to sleep. No funny business."

"Not at all?" Erik said.

"NO! Not at all." With that, Madame Giry left the room, and locked the door behind her.

William Patrick III was the great-grandson of a wealthy estate-owner. An estate that he had inherited with the recent passing of his father. It would have all been perfect except the fact that his father had carelessly spent most of their fortune before he had died. And if Mr. Patrick could not come up with the money he needed he would lose his estate. And he was not planning on letting that happen.

William had seen the Opera that evening. He was amazed at Christine's talent and vocal abilities, knowing that she must be the crown jewel of the Opera Populaire, he had snuck backstage after the show, following Christine until he found the location of her dressing room. While she was changing he wrote the note, and as she left the room, he blended into the crowd of ballerinas, stage hands, and singers. After her leave he opened the unlocked door, and posted the note upon it; Then following Christine out, but he stayed inside the entrance of the Populaire, watching her from a window to assure that she was alone outside. And when he was positive of that, he made his move. You see, William was a stealthy man.

--

Raoul wasn't sure what to do at first, but in the end decided at going _back_ to the Giry home, informing Madame Giry of the kidnapping. He thought that she would know what to do, or where to look, or even who this "William Patrick" fellow was. He urged his horses to go the fastest they possibly could, making good time to their home.

He knocked impatiently upon the door, and when Meg once again asked who it was, he was testy with her "Raoul! It's Raoul! Just open the door!" And when she obeyed, he waked in, and announced to the whole room that Christine had been kidnapped. Showing them the note he held in his pocket.

"Oh, oh, this is terrible; Oh so very terrible." Meg said feebly, obviously not knowing of anything else to say.

"You'll have to wait until morning, Raoul." Said Madam Giry, tiredly, "We must wait until then to collect the ransom from the Opera House. I am sure they will be willing to pay, seeing as she is their star. He is asking no more than what Erik is paid. Well…what Erik _was _paid. Where is he anyway?"

"I am NOT waiting until the morning, that terrible man has Christine and I am NOT going to pretend like nothing happened!" he stormed out of the house in rage.

"How could she say that 'wait until morning' As if I would." He was talking to himself as he entered the carriage.

--

Madam Giry was outraged at Raoul's reaction to this. It wasn't like the man was going to harm Christine, not if he was collecting ransom. What did Raoul think he was going to do…just waltz in without the money and take her?

"Meg, go see what Erik's up to. Make sure he's not pulling any more attempts to fly off of any of my furniture." Said an irritated Madam Giry.

"Yes, mother." Meg replied.

She went the stairs to the guest room. Opening the door, Erik was nowhere to be found. She looked everywhere, but he was obviously not there. Nor anywhere else inside the house. She then spotted a bit of parchment lying on the bed.

"Mother!" she yelled, "You're going to want to see this!"

"Oh what is it now?" she said annoyed.

Meg presented her with the parchment.

_Deer Mag and Madaam Giree,  
I goe wiff Rool two fined Chrestine. Pleeze wach my munky.  
Sinserilie,  
Erik _

"Well," she said, "at least he spelled his name right."


	5. The Journey

Christine didn't know where the man was taking her. He had put a piece of cloth over her eyes. She felt them turning a corner. She couldn't try to get away; he was carrying her over her shoulder like a bag of potatoes.

"Here we are, m'dear." he said, putting her in the back of his carriage, which was drawn by a single Clydesdale. He fetched some rope from inside the carriage, and bound her feet together also.

"Sorry about this, dear, but we can't have you getting away, now can we?" Christine knew he was obviously not sorry. She would have retorted back at him, if her mouth wasn't covered with the cloth.

"And now," he said, as if he felt very important, "we go to my estate. But before he started the horses going, he leaned back and pulled Christine free of the cloth over her mouth. As if he wanted to hear what she had to say for some strange reason?

"Where are you taking me!" she said fiercely.

"Oh, just outside of London, dearie." He said casually, as if he kidnapped women every day, "It's not more than a night's ride from here." 

"Why do you want me? Why did you take me?" She was talking fast, obviously nervous.

"Now, one question at a time if you will." he then slightly smirked, "I am holding you for ransom from the Opera House. I will not allow my estate to be taken from me do to my father's squandering of our fortune."

"Ransom?" Christine was slightly confused,

"Yes!" he replied sharply, "Ransom! I demand 20,000 francs for your return. And I plan on keeping you until that demand has been met."

"LET ME GO YOU TREACHEROUS FOOL!" Christine loudly screamed into the night, "YOU HAVE NO BUISINESS TAKING ME, NOW LET ME GO!"

William didn't strike back towards Christine, nor did he get angry. He just stopped the carriage, and put the cloth back over Christine's mouth.

"Now, no one can hear your plea for help." he said, smirking once more, and in his most snakelike voice, he laughed a terrible, bone chilling laugh.

--

Raoul was not more than 2 minute's ride away from the Giry household, when he heard a soft rustling noise coming from the back of the carriage.

"Foolish raccoons!" he said angrily, "this is not the time! I have more pressing matters to attend to!"

He quickly stopped the carriage and leaned back to scare the suspected raccoon away.

"SURPRISE!" yelled Erik with great enthusiasm from the back of the carriage.

Raoul then let out a scream that no grown man would have been proud of, he sounded like a little five-year-old girl.

"Ahhh!" it then took him a moment to realize who exactly this was, "Oh, GOD no! ERIK WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!"

"I," he said stubbornly, "am going with you."

"Oh no you're not!" Raoul sharply replied, "I'm taking you back the Giry house right now!"

"But...but..." Erik whimpered, "I have to go back?"

Raoul was going to snap back at Erik, telling him he HAD to go back, but he realized that it would only waste time to take him all the way back. He needed to find Christine NOW and he didn't want any more delays.

"Fine! You can come! But STAY in the back!"

"Yay," yelled Erik, who started chanting, "Road trip! Road Trip! ROAD TRIP! ROAD TRIP!"

"MY WORD! SHUT UP!"

Erik then sat in the corner and pouted.

"We're leaving again." Raoul said, very tiredly.

This was NOT what Raoul considered fun. Christine was missing, someone had kidnapped her. He had to go save her, and also had to baby-sit a former musical genius gone bananas.

"Oh what fun!" the said to himself sarcastically. But...to his misfortune, Erik had heard this.

"I've heard that!" Erik then started a torturous rendition of a much worn out song:

_Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse slopin' sleigh! HEY! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the waaaay!_

Raoul realized that this was going to be a very long night.


	6. Civilized Dinner

"What do we do?" Meg asked her mother.

"I don't know. I wonder how Raoul will be, when he gets back from his trip with Erik. I'm glad that I'm not him." Madame Giry was worried about Erik the most. With the tings he had been doing.

"Maybe we should go after him." Meg was just saying that to make her mother think she was concerned about them both. But really, she didn't care if Erik was gone. They could actually get some rest, and not have to worry about Erik trying to fly off of anything.

"No I don't think we could catch up to them. Its already been 15 minutes since they left. And there going at a pretty good pace."

"But how are we going to explain to the Opera house that Christine has gone missing? I mean, she has a show in about a week!"  
"We'll just have to say she's missing. All we can do, is hope that Raoul, and Erik, fine Christine in time." 

---

Raoul had stop to let the horses rest. But Erik wanted to ride one of them.

"Please, please, please!" 

"NO! They need to rest." Raoul was now wishing he had brought Erik back to Madame Giry's place. But he was now to far to bring him back. "Just let them rest. Maybe, and i mean _maybe_, you can ride one in a while."

"YAY YAY YAY!" Erik was jumping up and down in circles. "I'm guna ride the horsies! I'm guna ride the horsies!"

"Ok, ok. Just sit down and rest. Then you can ride the "horsies"" Raoul said mocking the same words Erik used.

Erik and Raoul started back up again, traveling to the outskirts of Paris, it was getting late, almost 10:45 by now and they still had not had supper. And as much as Raoul didn't want to, they had to stop.

"Come on, Erik." he said, stopping the carriage in front of a building on a city street, "We're going to go have supper and get some rest at this nice Inn here. One of my old boarding school friends owns it, I'm sure he'll give us a room at a reasonable price."

"Okey Dokey!" exclaimed a too-excited Erik.

After properly securing the horses, they entered the building. It was much more beautiful on the inside, the moment the doors where open you caught sight of a lavishly beautiful entrance hall, a front desk, and two hallways, one towards the rooms, and one towards the restaurant section of the building.

"Ahh, my good old friend Gregory!" Exclaimed Raoul at the sight of a young man working the front desk.

"Why if it isn't little Raoul?" he said, surprised, "And who is this with you?" The man's face softened, "Why...it isn't...The Opera Ghost?"

"Yup! That's me!" said Erik proudly.

Not wanting to carry on this conversation any further he told Gregory, "We'll just be having supper tonight, and a nice room afterwards."

"Oh...of course" he replied, obviously quite distracted by the presence of the Phantom of the opera.

He led them into the dining hall, where many men and women in formal dress sat in round tables scattered throughout the room.

"Here you are" he said, presenting them with a table, "A waiter will be with you momentarily," He still did not take his eyes off of Erik.

"Buh Bye!" Erik said quite loudly after the man. This confused poor Gregory even more.

Raoul was looking over his menu...while Erik on the other hand, had produced a pencil out of his pocket and was decorating his napkins.

The Waiter came and asked what each of them wanted.

"Oh, I'll have the duck l'orange" said Raoul, closing his menu.

"And you?" he asked Erik.

"Oh, I'll have grilled cheese. With the crust cut off."

"Mhmm." said the waiter, slightly confused as he walked off.

Erik continued decorating his napkins.

"Erik!" whispered Raoul, "What in heaven's name are you doing?"

Erik looked upon Raoul in utter confusion, as if he thought it was so obvious, and that every grown man drew little pictures on the napkins. He didn't answer.

"Give me that." said Raoul, taking Erik's large napkin, and looking at it he saw child-like pictures of stick people doing various things.

"What is that?" Raoul asked, pointing to the picture in the corner.

"Oh," said Erik casually, "That's me killing the guy that ran my freak show, with some rope."

"I see," said Raoul, quite disturbed with his violent little images.

"And this?" Raoul asked, pointing to what looked like a leashed dog hanging over a beauty pageant.

"Oh, that's my hanging the stagehand over the ballerinas" he said, obviously very proud of his drawing.

"And this?" Raoul asked, pointing to the last picture.

"Oh, that's just me and Christine kis--" Erik had realized what he had just said, or rather, what he had just almost said, so he lied: "That's just two dogs fighting."

"But they look like people." said Raoul confused.

"uhh...yes...they're people that are fighting."

"With their mouths?"

"umm...yes" said Erik, hiding his face behind his menu.

"Why does one say 'Chrestane' above it?" Raoul then realized what 'Chrestane' actually said.

"THIS IS A PICTURE OF YOU KISSING CHRISTINE?" he whispered angrily so only them could hear.

"Yeah...so?" Erik said defensively

"Christine is MINE!" Raoul replied, his face turning slightly red, "I will not stand you drawing out your little fantasies of kissing her!"

"Who says they're fantasies?" Replied Erik, quite smugly

"WHAT?" Raoul was quite angry now.

This whisper-argument was interrupted by the arrival of the food.

"Here you are boys" Said the waiter, putting Raoul's fancy-looking Duck l'orange in front of him, and Erik's grilled cheese in front of Erik. But after the waiter had left the argument fumed on.

"You MAY NOT lay your hands on my Christine!" Raoul was still whispering.

"Too late! Nah nah nah!" Said Erik, sticking his tongue out at Raoul! "I already did!"

"Well," said Raoul, "she doesn't even like you, she said you just made her kiss you!" Raoul lied.

"Hmph. You don't know anything!" But Erik truly thought that maybe Raoul was right.

"That's it." Raoul stated, "Let's just eat." He lifted his knife and fork, cutting a piece from his duck-steak and put it in his mouth.

"Meanie face!" yelled Erik, pelting Raoul with his grilled cheese sandwich.

"My god, Erik! Act civilized! We're in a restaurant."

"I'm not gonna act civilized and YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" Erik then jumped up on the table and banged his fists against his chest, Tarzan-style, with the monkey-yell and all.

It got quiet, really, really quiet, everyone looked towards Erik and Raoul's table as Erik took the other half of his grilled cheese, seperating the two slices of bread revealing the gooey warm cheese.

"Here's civilized for you" Erik said, squishing one of the cheesy pieces of bread onto Raoul's head, cheesy side down.

"You little brat!" yelled Raoul, dumping his glass of water over Erik's head.

"You...you...you" Erik obviously couldn't think of a sufficient insult, so instead pelted him with the last piece of the grilled cheese.

"FOOD FIGHT!" Yelled a small child from the next table over, throwing some pasta on Raoul. Erik cheered the boy on.

Suddenly everyone was throwing food. Women with fancy dresses screamed as they where caught in the crossfire. Children laughed, and laughed, throwing everything in sight. Erik and Raoul where right in the middle of it, being strewn with everything from baked beans to custard.

"YOU CHILDISH FOOL!" Yelled Raoul, "LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"

Erik didn't listen, he only dumped a bowl of pudding onto Raoul's already cheesy head.

"So much for civilized" Erik said as the pudding dripped it's way down Raoul's angry face.


	7. The Estate

Christine and William had been traveling a good two hours when he announced from the driver's bench "We're here, my darling" he said in mock-caring.

Leaning back, he took Christine's blindfold, mouth-cloth, and leg-binds off. Leaving the hand bindings there. Pushing her out of the carriage, she got her first glimpse at Mr. Patrick's estate. It was big, 3 stories tall by the look of it, in an old gothic cathedral style, there where iron wrought gates surrounding the whole estate, and guards at the front door.

"Good Evening Sir Patrick" Said one of the guards as William dragged Christine through the gate and towards the door. "Quite a catch I've got tonight" he said towards the guards, "a feisty one, is she not?"

The guards slightly laughed as they opened the door for William and his "catch". The doors revealed a beautiful marble entrance hall, and a spiral staircase leading up to the 2nd and 3rd stories, everything glittered because it was so spectacularly clean. A few maids bustled about, carrying tea trays, and mopping floors. A butler walked out of another room, greeting William.

"Why good evening, William" the old man said, over-politely, "Who is this ravishing beauty you have with you tonight."

"Her...she is the one earning me the ransom money."

"I see," replied the elderly butler, "Will you be having dinner with everyone tonight, or will you be taking it in your room as the night before?"

"Oh, I think we shall all have dinner together...including this one," as he said this he prodded Christine it the ribs with his elbow, Christine felt like snapping back at him with some rude remark, but none came to her mind, she only gave him the dirtiest, meanest look she could muster upon her otherwise flawless and beautiful face.

Christine's attention was turned away from Mr. Patrick, when two young women entered the room, they couldn't have been any more than 20.

"Mary and Victoria," said Mr. Patrick fondly, "Will you please show Ms. Daaé to her room?"

"Certainly, Father" replied the younger one, Mary

The two girls lead Christine up the spiral staircase. Christine expected these girls to be wicked, and sharp-tongued like their father, but was surprised when the taller one said,

"Oh, I'm sorry about this. The kidnapping and all."

The younger girl, Mary, then cut in, "Yes, he's desperate for some way to regain his fortune. He just wants the ransom money."

Victoria finished Mary's sentence: "He won't harm you in any way unless you do something that greatly displeases him. He'll just hold you here until the ransom is paid."

"I see," said Christine, clearly taken aback at their kindness, "So...you are his daughters?"

"Well...technically yes." replied Victoria.

"We're adopted." said Mary plainly, "I'm Mary" she said, introducing herself, "Mary Deshurei."

"And I'm Victoria Dupre" said the older girl, "You see, he adopted us when I was 10, and Mary was 8. We lived in an orphanage."

"We where delighted when we where adopted" said Mary, once again finishing Victoria's thought, "Little did we know that we'd be more like servants to him than daughters."

"Servants?" Christine said confused.

"Well, he treats us nicely and all." said the taller (and older) girl, Victoria, "But he's more like our master than our father."

"Yes," said Mary, "We're not even sure why he adopted us. We're thinking it has something to do with his bad childhood, you see, he had two sisters."

"Yeah," Victoria said, "His mother left when he was young, his childhood wasn't the best, we think that he insisted on 'reliving' it when he adopted us."

"He hardly even knows who we really are, but he always has us dress up for dinner, and from what we can tell, that's what he did as a child." Mary said.

They had reached Christine's room by now, opening the door she was shocked at how beautiful it was. There was a large canopy bed, a white armoire, and when she opened it there where lovely dresses inside.

Before leaving Victoria said, "Oh, and he'd like you to dress for dinner tonight, it's in an hour. Don't be late." She said with a smile, closing the door.

Christine was still surprised how kind these people where treating her. He had kidnapped her, and here he is presenting her with beautiful gowns and a lavish room. But she was still confused about Mary and Victoria.


	8. Bubbles

Everyone and everything was covered in food. No person in the dining hall was left clean. Food was still flying in the air, when Gregory entered, "EVERYBODY STOP! WHO STARTED THIS!" at this, everyone pointed to everyone else.

"Erik," whispered Raoul, "let's go. I don't' want them finding out we started it."

Erik didn't say anything, but nodded silently. They blended in with the rest of the crowd that was leaving the dining hall. And went up to their room.

"I wanna take a bath." declared Erik when they entered the room, "I smell like fish."

This was obviously more than Raoul needed, or wanted to know. "Yes, yes, whatever you must to."

Raoul changed his clothes as he heard the water running in the bathroom. He pulled out a book and started to read it, while sitting on the bed. The running water stopped, and there was a slight splashing noise as Erik entered the tub.

"Ooooh, Bubbles!" Yelled Erik from the bathroom. Raoul just rolled his eyes and continued on with his book.

"No! No! BAD BUBBLES, BAD!" Erik was screaming desperately now. But Raoul still ignored him, figuring he was playing some sort of game.

"NO! BUBBLES!" For some reason, Erik's voice was slightly muffled now. Raoul, deciding that he should check on Erik, knocked on the door.

"Erik? Are you ok?" He said, in mock concern.

"I'M LOST!"

"How could you possibly get lost in a bathroom?" Raoul said, "Fine, I'll come in and get you."

"NO!" Erik yelled

"Why?" asked Raoul

"Well...uhh...because I'm on the potty."

"I'm coming in." said Raoul firmly, afraid that Erik had done something stupid.

No sooner than Raoul opened the door, had the massive avalanche of bubbles consumed him in a strawberry-scented disaster.

"Bubbles!" Said Erik proudly.

He then chased a floating bubble around the room. Completely ignoring the slipping, sliding, bubble covered Raoul on the floor.

"Mmmm" he said, about to catch a bubble with his mouth. The bubble then made it to his mouth. "EWW! ICKY!"


	9. The Rescuing

Christine was changing into a frilly purple dress for dinner when William knocked on her door.

"Dinner time!" He shouted, "Clean up and get down here!"

Christine said "Ok" and continued changing into the dress; she could hear Mr. Patrick walking back down the stairs. She then heard Victoria and Mary, whispering desperately outside the door.

"He didn't see us! Did he?" one asked frantically,

"No...I don't think he looked, even though the door was open." one assured.

Christine opened the door, seeing how she was done dressing. And walked right into Victoria and Mary's conversation.

"Excuse me...but what are you afraid he saw?" Christine asked, very curiously.

"He...well...we think he saw us practicing our ballet." Mary whispered.

"Why would you be worried about that?" Christine was confused.

"He doesn't like ballet." Victoria said, "you see...when he was a child, no more than 6, his mother left. Because of her ballet. She was brilliant, well known, but she became too obsessed, and left her family in search of fame."

"Of course," Mary said, "His father thought she'd never find fame, but she did. And she never came back. No one knows where she is now, or even if she's still alive."

"But we love ballet, and we're not too bad at it. We want to escape from here and join an Opera, or a ballet. But every time he catches us practicing it brings back all his bad memories. And he punishes us.

"We want to leave, we've tried before, but there's guards everywhere...we can't get out."

Christine now knew that the reason for William's harshness was his childhood. She didn't hate him anymore. She felt sorry for him, much the same feeling she felt towards Erik once. A long time ago.  
--

Raoul and Erik quietly exited the Inn that morning; they didn't want to draw any more attention to themselves. Getting back in their carriage, Raoul checked the address again.

"We're nearly there." He said, plainly.

"Oh yay!" Said Erik, a little too excitedly.

After another hour of traveling, (and many 'are we there yet?'s from Erik) They arrived outside of the gate of the enormous estate. Parking the carriage, Raoul got out.

"I am here to retrieve Ms. Daaé." he said to the nearest guard.

"Yes, yes, of course. Do you have the francs?" The guard asked, bored.

"Of course I have them! What do you take me for? An idiot?" Raoul obviously had a plan, "I am not giving you your money until I see Ms. Daaé."

"Jon!" Yelled the guard. Another guard came promptly.

"What is the problem here?" asked the other guard.

"He doesn't have the money."

"Yes I do!" interrupted Raoul.

"Are you sure?" said the first guard, grabbing him with great force.

The other guard helped the first, and they got Raoul into a pair of handcuffs, first they searched him, just in case he did have the money. And upon finding out that he didn't, they opened the large wrought-iron gate and took him away.

"Buh-Bye!" Exclaimed Erik happily, as Raoul was taken away. But just then he spotted a butterfly, fluttering through the now-open gates.

"Oooh" Erik said happily, chasing the butterfly.

He chased it all the way around to the other side of the estate, before he had lost track of it. There where no guards around on account of them dealing with Raoul. Erik spotted an open door in the back of the estate, and went through it. Finding what was obviously the servants quarters, and kitchen of the estate.

"Oooh" he said once more, wandering off into a mess of pots and pans. The maids and chefs weren't present, seeing how they where having dinner with William, Mary, Victoria, and Christine.

He quickly got bored of the kitchen, and found another exit out of it, leading into a great hall on what was the first floor of the estate. He spotted the large spiral staircase, and had a sudden urge to climb to the top, and then ride down on the railing. And so he started climbing the stairs.

Upon reaching the top, he completely forgot about the railings and noticed the tiles on the floor of this corridor of the house.

"HOPSCOTCH!" he yelled, starting his game through the hall.


	10. Escape

Christine was back in her room. Dinner was over, and she couldn't help but notice how William insisted on being a "fatherly" person. She thought again about what Mary and Victoria had said. That he's trying to re-live his childhood through them. It was a definite possibility.

Christine started to get bored. She thumbed through a large variety of books from a shelf situated in the corner of the room. They where no more than mildly interesting.

--

Erik had started his game of hopscotch on the tiles in the main corridor. It was quite a sight to see him hopping on one foot through the hall. "1,2,1,2" He was too busy focusing on the "hopscotch board" to notice where he was going.

"BANG!"

Erik had run into the door at the end of the hall, head on. 

--

Christine heard a knock at the door.

"Hello?" she said, opening it.

"I know you!" shouted Erik with glee.

"And unfortunately," she said, looking at him confused, "I know you too."

Erik didn't say anything, but smiled brightly. Looking slightly stupid.

"What are you doing here?" Christine asked.

"They took Raoul!" He said in a child-like tone.

"What?" gasped Christine.

"He was trying to save you from the evil-y-ness. But he didn't have all those guys named Frank, so the meanie-faces at the gate took him away!"

"He was coming to get me? I knew he'd come! I knew it!"

At this moment, Mary and Victoria crashed into the room.

"Christine! There's a man the guards took that is saying he came for you!" Mary said.

"His name is supposedly Raoul!"

Victoria extracted something from her pocket. A key.

"Here's the key to the dungeons, we have to go get him. He's innocent!"

A plan was starting to be formed.

"Erik!" Christine said demandingly, "You come with me, and we're going to go back to the carriage. Mary and Victoria will go get Raoul, and meet us at the front gate. We'll all get into the carriage and make our way back to the Opera house."

Christine knew that Mary and Victoria would be especially pleased with this plan. She was sure that they would be accepted as ballerinas at the Opera House. They where quite good.

"Ok!" said Mary. They where already half-way out the door.

"We gotta go FAST!" yelled Erik, "They'll catch us!" and with this, he took the flat lid off of a chest full of blankets. Grabbed Christine, and ran down the hall towards the stairs.

"Get on." Erik said

"What?" Christine was confused. He was holding the lid to the chest.

"Get. On." Erik said, as serious as he had ever been (well, lately)

Christine didn't bother questioning his antics. She sat on the lid. And he sat behind her.

"Ready. Set. GO" shouted Erik as he pushed off the banister.

They where flying down the large spiral staircase on the lid. It was _quite_ a bumpy ride.

They finally reached the bottom, and although Christine landed gracefully. Erik had flew off the lid, launching himself a good 5 feet forward.

He bounced back up, "Come on!" he shouted, grabbing Christine's hand. They had to get out of the estate, and through the gate before anyone noticed that they had even left.

--

Mary and Victoria quietly made their way down to the basement of the house, otherwise known as the dungeons. It had two grimy cells in which disobeying people would stay in. Mary saw Raoul in the closest one. Guards surrounded the outside of the cell, interrogating him about why he had come.

Victoria was thinking rapidly...how could they get the guards away long enough to get Raoul out? Then it hit her.

"Guards! Guards!" she yelled, "Someone is trying to break in the back door! A thief! A robber!"

And with this the guards quickly ran away to capture this "robber."

"Quick!" Mary shouted, "We don't have much time until they come back, realizing nobody was there!" She grabbed the ring of keys off of the hook situated near the door to the basement, fumbling with them for a moment before finding the right key, and sticking it into the lock of the cell Raoul was placed in.

"Oh thank god you where here." sighed Raoul, even though he didn't know who they where.

"Come on!" yelled Mary, taking Raoul by the hand and dragging him up the stairs back into the house. Once they got into the house, they ran straight for the front door, when something...or someone was in their way.

"Trying to get out, I see." said Mr. Patrick, standing right in front of the door, "We can't have that, now can we?"

Raoul didn't bother negotiating with the man, he just pushed him aside and ran out the door, and William was still on the floor when they had all safely exited the house. There where no guards to catch them, they where all looking for a suspected robber.

Just as they left the gates, they heard a noise behind them.

"There they are! Get them!" yelled a guard, running from the back of the house.

"Go! Go! Go!" yelled Victoria, egging them onward as they made the mad dash for the carriage. Erik and Christine where already inside, and Raoul jumped into the drivers bench, and Mary and Victoria went inside.

They made a mad dash away from the estate, guards on their tail. But the horses where no match for the running guards, seeing as how they quickly outran them.


	11. Transformation

Meanwhile, back inside the carriage, Christine was in awe of Erik's rescuing abilities, "Oh Erik," she gushed, "You saved me! How can I ever repay you?" and before Erik could say something stupid she said, "Oh! I know!"

And with that, she swiftly kissed him on the lips. As she pulled away, an amazing, but subtle transformation took place. The childlike glee present in his face faded into the scowling of a man, the brightness in his eyes turned not into darkness or anger, but into confusion.

"Where am I!" he said, looking around the carriage at Mary, Victoria and Christine, "...And why do I smell like strawberries?"

Mary and Victoria only giggled, happy to be heading away from Mr. Patrick and onto their new life as ballerinas at the famous Opera Populaire. But Christine looked into his eyes with sheer adoration, an unbroken gaze.

"Oh, Erik." she once again gushed over him, "You're back! Oh how happy I am to see you." She then hugged him

Erik was compelled to ask where he had gone, but didn't want to break Christine's hold upon him. He rather enjoyed it. Good thing Raoul wasn't watching, seeing how he was too busy driving.

And so the ride back to Paris went, Christine in Erik's arms, the whole time mind you. Mary and Victoria dreaming of their new careers and lives as ballerinas. And Raoul, driving the carriage, as fast as he could urge the horses to go.

--

They had just arrived at the Opera house, it was near 7 o clock at night. They went to find Madam Giry, to notify her of their safe return, and of her new students. After talking with her about their journey, she took Mary and Victoria into the dormitories to find them beds.

Christine, Erik, and Raoul on the other hand, walked to Christine's dressing room. Christine was unusually quiet. Both Erik and Raoul had unsuccessful attempts to make her talk. "Erik?" she said in a very small voice, her first word since arriving back in Paris, "stay here, I need to talk with Raoul."

Erik nodded slightly, motioning the two to go. He knew that this couldn't be good. They where probably talking of their wedding plans or something. "It's not fair." he thought to himself, "I love her more than him...she knows it too."

**(short but good…)**


	12. Heart Broken

Upon Christine shutting the door to her dressing room Raoul asked, "What's on your mind?"

"Well" she said, starting to walk in the direction of the stage, "I needed to talk to you about something."

They where now backstage, Christine was avoiding Raoul's eyes, fingering railings and small trinkets as they walked, "I don't know how to say this." she said, walking with him in the direction of the stage.

"Christine, darling, my little lotte. Just say it." Raoul urged her, while she was still not making eye-contact.

They where now on the stage, all the seats where vacant. They where standing, facing each other. Christine finally meeting Raoul's eyes.

"When I was at William's house...locked up in that room, I had plenty of time to think." she said quietly.

"Yes?" he urged her on.

"Well, I thought about you. Us." she was now stuttering slightly, as if the words where requiring tremendous strength to work out, "Raoul?" she asked.

"Yes?" he said once more.

"I don't love you the way we both thought." she was once again not making eye contact.

This hit Raoul hard. Very hard. "What? What do you mean?" he said, hurt.

"It was in that time I had alone, that I realized my love for you is not...not..." Christine was struggling to find the word she needed, "Romantic."

Raoul didn't say anything, just stared, listening on, in utter confusion and hurt.

"I love you in the way I would love a brother, if I had one. I hadn't noticed it before, but our love has changed, transformed like the changing season. Only I expect it shant change back, unlike the seasons."

Raoul was almost at the point of tears. She didn't love him the way he had thought. Their love was one-sided.

"I'm sorry." she finished, pulling her engagement ring off of her finger, putting it into Raoul's hand.

"It was a gift." he said plainly, returning the ring into her grasp.

"I shall see you soon." she said, still not looking into his eyes. She walked off of the stage, leaving Raoul in the middle of it. Surrounded by empty seats. She obviously couldn't stand his pain, and being around him only increased her guilt of breaking his heart, breaking his world.

Raoul stood quietly on the empty stage. Christine only loved him as a friend. The thought traced through his mind a million times, etching it into his memory as if set in stone. It was over.


	13. My Love

Christine started to cry slightly, she felt so bad to have broken Raoul's heart. But it had to be done, she couldn't wait until after they where married until she told him that, it would have been worse. She stormed her way into the dressing room, forgetting that Erik was there.

Erik, who was examining the mirror in the corner, looked up at the arrival of Christine. He didn't need to ask what happened. He had sensed the lack of passion for Raoul in her on the carriage ride home. He came up to her, and put his arm around her, comforting her. No words where spoken, no words where needed, they knew each other that well.

--

Raoul was still standing on the dark, empty stage. It was ironic, that this had happened on the stage, because their whole relationship had seemed like a dream, like a play, it was too good to be true. And here he was, at the end of the play, standing on the stage.

Gulping back his tears, he walked off of the stage, and back into the carriage, riding off into the sunset.

--

"Come with me." Erik said lightly, to the distressed Christine, while they where standing in her dressing room.

As he led her through the mirror, he began to sing, "Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime." He then slowly closed the mirror behind them, both of their voices echoing in the vast, damp lair under the opera house.


End file.
